Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 39% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the candidate's experiences with empathy, resilience, favorite books, strengths/weaknesses, interest in specific medical specialties, community service, and responses to ethical scenarios. Additionally, respondents mentioned facing MMI style questions, non-disclosure agreements, and questions tailored to their essays and applications, indicating a structured interview format and a focus on individualized assessments.
Students said the most interesting question asked at The Commonwealth Medical College discussed a wide range of topics including customer service experience, personal life experiences like being a father or a firefighter, opinions on healthcare systems, travel preferences, and ethical dilemmas. The interview format may have been an MMI, as some responses hinted at non-disclosure agreements due to the nature of the questions asked.
Tell me more about your customer service experience and how it relates to medicine?
Students said most difficult question asked at The Commonwealth Medical College discussed a range of topics including ethical dilemmas, healthcare challenges, personal strengths and weaknesses, healthcare reform opinions, and the difference between empathy and sympathy. The interview format may have been MMI as some responses alluded to nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted a conversational style with faculty members, with questions varying from personal experiences to healthcare system knowledge.
None were particularly difficult - except my interviewer was a faculty member who did most of the talking and was rambling about random stuff. He didn't really ask me questions.
The faculty interviewer asked me to tell him about myself, which was the hardest question he asked. And if you practice how to answer that, which I did, it's not that difficult.
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, researching the school's mission and values, practicing with mock interviews, and reading feedback on platforms like SDN. Many also focused on understanding healthcare issues in the region where the school is located and discussing their personal goals in relation to the school's mission.
I looked over my own application, topics affecting healthcare, the schools mission and values. I would suggest looking over issues affecting Scranton PA specifically.
Re-read my personal statement and secondary, reviewed the ACA, learned about public health issues that Northeastern PA is dealing with, reviewed the Commonwealth website.
Didn't really, but I don't think that it influenced the interview. I think that it helped me to be more like myself and just talk rather than reciting answers that I had reviewed so many times.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the welcoming and conversational atmosphere of the interviews, the friendliness and enthusiasm of the faculty, the brand new state-of-the-art facilities, and the emphasis on student input and feedback. Many applicants highlighted the positive experiences shared by current students, the community-oriented approach of the school, and the innovative curriculum as factors that positively influenced their perception of the institution.
Both interviewers were really nice and the whole thing felt more like a conversation than an interview.
The interviewer were very porfessional, but very personable. They made me feel like I was apart of the team already. This interview shot Geisinger to the top of my list.
The interviewers do not look at your GPA or MCAT score. They only read your AMCAS personal statement and secondary application.
The students and interviewers are very friendly and welcoming. They act as if you are already accepted.
How well the entire staff tries to make you calm down and feel relaxed. They really just want to get to know you as a person so they want you to relax while you are there.
The new building will be open by the time the class of 2015 arrives. Mission is great and curriculum seems really innovative. Faculty is very enthusiastic about the program.
The organization of the day and the admissions office. The people at this school are very passionate about medical education and very positive about the practice of medicine and its future.
Pretty much everything. The passion of all the staff, faculty, and students to carry out their mission blew me away. They are implementing some truly cutting edge curriculum changes. They are completely dedicated to the success of their students. The students themselves - I could see myself being friends with them.
The curriculum seems like it will be very successful. I loved how the class size will be small for the next couple years, and that the students work in small groups, and do clinical research.
The dedication and friendliness of the admissions staff and faculty. They all seemed genuinely excited and happy about their school. Also, the anatomy lab is brand new and amazing (not smelly!) The students seemed to be happy, as well.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the length and organization of the interview day, the lack of enthusiasm from interviewers and students, the rural location and limited facilities of the school, and uncertainty about the curriculum changes. Suggestions included improving the interview structure, enhancing student and faculty engagement, providing more information about the school's developments, and addressing the limitations of the facilities and resources.
1 hour diversity lecture was overly hammy...students had no criticism of the school. no one could accurately inform us how the longitudinal clinical rotations worked
They are a relatively new program, so they are still changing a lot of their curriculum which makes me nervous especially as it pertains to performance on standardized exams throughout medical school.
the school isn't attached to a hospital as is the case with other schools. The presenter of the power-point session on the school and its curriculum was very monotone and unenthusiastic
The M1 tour guides were not extremely peppy, excited about their school, or helpful. The student interviewer seemed disinterested. The faculty interviewer was more interested in selling the school's primary care agenda than learning about me as an applicant.
We didn't get to have lunch with the students (I think they had something else going on), but it would have been nice to hear their opinions about the school. The students we met during the panel seemed pretty neutral about the school.
Sadly, though Scranton is a great town I'm sure, it is very rural and on the small side. Personal choice. Also, the possibility of no access to federal loans for the first year.
I'm used to bigger cities, so Scranton seemed a little small for me. However, it seems as though the community is really involved in and excited about the school.
The current facilities are in part of a community college and are very limited. The student panel mentioned that they didn't have a student lounge or anywhere to congregate and relax. Also, the student tour guide said that there wasn't much research going on at yet.
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the school's curriculum, the interview format, and the potential challenges with parking and location. They also highlighted the importance of comfortable footwear for navigating the campus, being aware of the regional campus placement, and the need to be prepared for both faculty and student interviews.
geisinger had no dedicated step 1 prep time, and doesn't have a concrete plan in place to remediate it
My interview with the medical student was more challenging than the one with the faculty member. The med student seemed more nervous than me. Also, the interviews were done first, which I liked. You could just devote the rest of the day to enjoying the school and its students.
Applicants generally praised the strong faculty support and student wellness initiatives at the school, but some expressed concerns about the diversity of interviewers and the location of the campus. Overall, they appreciated the welcoming and conversational interview style, as well as the innovative educational model and commitment to community engagement.
emphasis on primary care though the match list is strong, impressed by student wellness and friendliness of faculty, but confused about clincal years
As a diverse applicant, I wish they had made an effort to match me with interviewers who understand my experience, or at least have faculty interviewers receptive /ask about what makes my experience and path to medicine unique
What an amazing faculty from my short experience. I never thought I would be treated with so much respect and kindness in a medical school interview. Nobody talked down to me, but treated my experience as valuable and overall treated me as a peer in medicine, not an underling.
I think I'd be really happy going to school here because of the quality of the education. Their mission isn't just something they say they care about but there's a strong sense that the faculty lives and dies by it. Geisinger also has a strong network throughout the region. I do not, however, love the location of the school.
The interview day was very relaxed and I was extremely impressed by the school. TCMC wasn't very high on my list before interviewing, but afterwards it was my #1 choice.
Loved the school. Interviewed at a few placed beforehand but none impressed me as much as TCMC did. Even though they are new, they are definitely going places.
Really great school. I was skeptical about Scranton, but it's actually a lovely city. The people are wonderful and very enthusiastic about the medical school. Really great experience.
This is a very good school. If you have an interview here, just be yourself. The faculty and students are nice, and they do their best to make you feel at ease.
My interview was extremely conversational. They only asked me one tough question. It was not stressful by any means. Some of the other students said that they were asked many of the questions that are posted on this forum. It really depends on who interviews you. Some people were asked ethical questions and what they would do in a particular situation. Another student was asked to describe herself in three words. Don't get too worried about it just be prepared and you will be fine.
Liked TCMC a lot. Great mission. Great commitment. And think it has an educational model that is a necessary addition to the medical school system in the US. Also, students seemed so relaxed and happy.
This school is definitely going exciting places. If you have drive and want to be involved in shaping the future of a medical school, this is the place to be. Can't wait to see what happens to them over the next couple years!
One of the other posters in the interview feedback said that the new building would be ready in 2012, but I think we were told that the building would be done in late spring of 2011. So if we were part of the 2014 class, we would get the building starting in the fall of our second year.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should provide quicker decision timelines, improve consistency in information shared, offer more transparent communication about the decision-making process, and consider returning to rolling admissions for reduced stress levels. They also recommended enhancing the interview day experience with better presenter/speaker for curriculum overview and providing more substantial lunch options.
6-8 week is very lengthy...some students have waited 11 weeks for a decision this cycle
Wow, Geisinger admissions committee impressed me more than I can say. What a professional, caring and responsive staff. There is a reason Geisinger is shooting up every year in medical school rankings.
I suggest they consider moving to a rolling type of admissions rather than block admissions. It is nice to know what day you will hear back from them, but it is stressful as well.